Bathing accessory



Jan. 25, SH L W BATHING ACCESSORY Filed Sept. 14, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mp4 Q H, SHOGLOW BATHING ACCESSORY Jan. 25,133.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 14, 1956 Patented Jan. 25, 1938 UNITED ES r "2,106,664. 1 vBarnum Aociissomr' '1 I Harry Shoglow, Cambridge, Mass assignorto Patent Products Corp., Boston, .Mass, a' corporation of Massachusetts 1 I Application September 14, 1936, Serial No. 100";737 z A) solaim'fs- (01.12541). j

The present invention relates to improvements in bathing beach accessories to enable bathers'to change their clothes quickly and conveniently at the bathing site. Devices which have been used for the purpose comprise beach tents and shelters of various kinds which in general involve some fairly rigid skeletal feature for maintaining the device in position for use; the presence of the rigid element affecting the portability of the E01 cessory to a'lesser or greater degree.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a bathing accessory' which'is light in weight, entirely flexible and extremely portable.

Another'object of this invention is to provide a bathing accessory which is inexpensive, simple to manufacture and comfortable to use.

Still another object of this invention is to pro vide a bathing accessory'which may be readily converted into a bag for storing and transporting articles.

A further object of this invention is to provide a bathing accessory which because of its complete flexibility permits itself to' be used for a variety of purposes on the beach. Y I

Other objectsand advantagesof the device will be apparent from a consideration of the descrip'-' tion presented below and the accompanying drawings, in which drawings;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bathing accessory embodying the invention, j

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the side opening shown in Fig. 1,. e

Fig. 3 is alfront view. of the accessory "folded to serve as acarrying bag, 35 Fig. 4 is a bottom view of a bathing accessory having a bottom section set in to join the sides,

Fig. 5 is'a sidejview of a modification of the bathing accessory shown in Fig. 1, j

Fig. 6 is a view along the line 6- 6 of Fig. 5,

Fig. '7 is an edge view of the fabric arranged for making thebathing accessory of Fig. 5,

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of a hood adaptable for use with the bathing accessories of Figs. 1 and 5,

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view of a modification.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l designates generally the body of a tubular structure preferably closed at the bottom 2, and provided with an opening 3 at the top and preferably two side openings 4 and 5 located near the top. The top edge 6 of the tube is hemmed and shirred onto a circular elastic band 1 which normally maintains the opening 3 in an almost completely closed condition. If desired a drawstring or other suitable means maybe substituted'for thefela'stic b d .,I f

The side'openings 4 and 5" are preferably kept contracted by means ofcircular, preferablyelastic bands 8- and 9' enclosed by the hems J0 and I I In addition, flaps 12am l3 may beattached to the front ll of the tube and above andblow the 1 side openings. This latter feature assists in preventing aview-ofthe' interior of the 'acces;

sory through-the side openings'when it is in" use;

If it should-"be desiredto use the bathing ace cessory as a bag for car rying articles, handles I 5; and, I6 made'of iabr ic similar to that usedin making'the accessory may be "stitched to corre-- spending points on the'frontflfl' and the back' l'lj.

The handles "shoj' ld 'be located =sufiiciently near.

Fig.13, conveniently; Inmaking the bathing accessory shown inFigj.

the bottom megabit carrying theffo'rmedbag,

1 it is first merely necessaryto-double a length of fabricwith the'bend atthe bottomg If desired, two separate side pieces may'be'utilized and the bottom left open or a separate piece I8 'of 'any shape desiredinay be stitched to the bottom edges as shown i'n Fig. 4. If ithefbottomisileft open it may, if desired', ha've an "elastic band or other suitable element 31 for contracting the opening inserted in a hem at the edge. Theaccessory is completed by stitching the side edges together while providing" for-the side openings, inserting the elastic bands ij8; and"9 and attaching the flaps l2 and I3 andthe'handles l5 and l6. s

The modified accessory shown in Fig. 5 is made by doubling the fabric |9 Fig. 7, so that the back 20 is longer than the 'front' 2|. Theside edges are then stitchedyfrom the 'bottom up to the lower corner 22 of the side opening wherev the edges are firmly attached by several rows of stitching 23. i'The :edge;of theback' I9 from22 to 24 is hemmed and shirredonto an"elas'tic jst ip 25 the ends of which are firmly attachedtothe fabric at 22 and 24. The gathering of the fabric on the elastic strip 25 tends to bring the top edge 26 of the back 20 inlinewith the top edge 21 of the front portion 2|. The side edges of the back 20 from the point22 upward are now lapped over the side edges of the front 2| in the manner shown in Fig. 5 and stitched along the lines 28,

.29, and 30. The result is a side opening which is completely covered and which may be distended to a considerable size. A circular elastic band 3| may now be inserted in a hem 32 at the top. as in the previously discussed embodiment of the invention. In making the accessory as described above an enlargement 33 is created in the upper the fullness of the back permits the bather to bend over when reaching for articles of wear on the beach without restraint.

In the modification presented here the means for adapting the beach accessory for use as a carrying bag consists of a drawstring 34 passing through several loops 35 stitched laterally around the accessory, as shown in Fig. 5. The carrying bag is formed by pushing the upper part of the accessory inwardly and downwardly on a line with the drawstring 34. Pulling the ends of the drawstring taut will completely close the opening of the formed bag.

In using the bathing accessory, the elastic band 1 is'first expanded to its fullest extent to permit the bather to step into it and pull it up until the edge 6 is on a level with the neck when the elastic band I is allowed to close as much as possible about the neck of the bather. Now, bythrusting the arms through the side openings 4 and 5 the bather can reach out for various articles previously conveniently located and then, reinserting the arms, make the desired change of clothing. When dealing with an article which is put on by slipping over the head and shoulders, the edge 6 is merely slipped over the head of the bather, thus permitting the article to be put on in the customary manner. Or, if desired the edge 6 may be slipped under the armpits, the garment placed over the head and the arms slipped through the sleeves when the edge 6 can be returned to its original position around the neck. The accessory should, of course, be sufiiciently long to extend above and fully enclose the head of the bather when necessary. It should also have suificient width so that the desired changes of clothing can be made in comfort. It will be apparent that the bathing accessory described here affords as great a degree of privacy as is obtainable with any of the more complicated devices now extant for accomplishing a similar purpose.

Although the bathing accessory described above is intended primarily as: a shelter when changing clothes, it may also serve other purposes on the beach. It may be used as a spread on which the bather may recline, or, if desired, by getting into the accessory itself it may afiord protection from the direct rays of the sun, particularly if it is equipped with a hood or helmet 36, Fig. 8, attached to the edge 6. It may also serve as a storage place for clothes to keep out the sand or water of the beach. By folding the accessory in the manner shown in Fig. 3, as previously noted, it may be used as a bag for transporting articles to and from the beach.

The bathing accessory can be made of almost any fabric which is sufficiently opaque but preferably the material should be light in weight and waterproof.

part of the back which is of advantage in that It will be noted that no metal or other hard parts are used in the construction of the accessory; it is therefore entirely flexible and may, if desired, be readily folded for insertion in a suitable container.

I claim:

1. A bathing accessory comprising a tubular body open at the top and bottom, said top opening being of sufiicient width to admit a human body and means for contracting the top opening.

2. A bathing accessory comprising a tubular body having openings at the top, bottom and sides, said top opening being of sufficient width to admit a human body and means for contracting'the top opening.

3. A bathing accessory comprisinga tubular body having openings at the top, bottom and sides, said sides of suificient width to allow any article of clothing to be drawn in or out of accessory, means for contracting the top opening,

and means for contracting the side openings.

4. A bathing accessory comprising a tubular body having openings at the top, bottom and sides, said top opening being of suflicient width to admit a human body and expansible means associated with each of the openings for independently maintaining them in normal contracted condition.

5. A bathing accessory comprising a tubular body, open at the top, said top opening being of suflicient width to admit a human body and means for contracting the top opening.

6. A bathing accessory comprising a tubular body closed at the bottom and provided with openings at the top and sides, said top opening being of sufficient width to admit a human body and means for contracting the top opening.

'7. A bathing accessory comprising a tubular body closed at the bottom and provided with openings at the top and sides, said sides of sumcient width to allow any article of clothing to be drawn in or out of accessory, means for contracting the top opening, and means for contracting the side openings.

8. A bathing accessory comprising a tubular body closed at the bottom and provided with openings at the top and sides, said top opening being of sufficient width to admit a. human body, expansible means for maintaining the openings in normal contracted condition, and means for covering the side openings.

9. A bathing accessory comprising a tubular body closed at the bottom and provided with openings at the top and sides, said top opening being of sufficient width to admit a human body, expansible means for maintaining the openings in normal contracted condition, and flaps attached to the front of the tubular. body and above and below the side openings to cover the said side openings.

HARRY SHOGLOW. 

